Trump's Agenda Faces A New Obstacle: His Own Bad Poll Numbers

Posted by Political Quarterback17pc on February 20, 2017

President Trump's low approval ratings could make it much harder for him to get things done in Congress, as they will make Democrats even less likely to work with him than they already are, and may unburden Republicans who might have withheld their criticisms of a GOP leader with higher numbers.

At 38 percent, Trump's latest approval rating has already reached the lowest point of former President Barack Obama's tenure.

If his numbers stay they, they could prompt Democrats to avoid any collaboration with Trump, even on consensus issues like a new infrastructure plan.

"I think their ultimate goal, if they're successful, is to try to drive his approval ratings so low that they can use it as an unadulterated battering ram in the 2018 midterms," said Ford O'Connell, a Republican strategist, said of Democrats.

The 2018 Senate map favors Republicans heavily, as most seats up for reelection next year are Democratic and were won in the 2012 election, during which GOP candidates stumbled in several states and Obama helped Democrats over the finish line in others. But Trump's unpopularity could give vulnerable Democrats a reason to indulge the most vocal wing of their party by obstructing Trump's legislative efforts.